Spring is here and that means gulls, their nests and their chicks are starting to appear. And that means more attacks on people, especially their sandwiches and ice cream, early morning noise, and bird mess on cars.

While Aberdeenshire Council has been involved in prevention activity in towns including Stonehaven, the local authority has no legal powers to force owners to carry out preventative works, nor to undertake treatment during nesting.

It relies on the cooperation of owners and occupiers to take appropriate steps.

One of the most effective ways to have an effect is to target the birds at source – by preventing nesting and egg laying.

Non-lethal measures are available and the public can contact local businesses for help on the most cost-effective solutions. These can include roof-mounted spikes or nets to deter landing and nesting.

The council does not advocate the killing of gulls and their young, but encourages deterrents, preventative measures, and nest and egg removal.
Residents should also be mindful of how litter and food waste is disposed of. And please do not put out food for gulls. I had a complaint about this today, in Portlethen.

Further information, including the legal position and how to find pest controllers, is available at: http://bit.ly/GullsGuide